Written by Jose Gonzalez• March 31, 2024• 5:19 pm• Comics

X-Men Hellfire Gala Outfit Reveal RANKED

Marvel is throwing a Hellfire Gala for the X-Men and the mutants are turning looks!

Some of the X-Men’s Hellfire Gala outfits were revealed this week, and I thought it would fun to give them a preliminary ranking based off my first-look impressions.

I talk a lot about the X-fashion of the 80’s in my review videos anyway, so this sort of trial-by-ranking feels totally on brand for me, and is a great lead-up to the most fabulous intra-title crossover event of the year!

If you’re not already in the know, the Hellfire Gala is a highly-anticipated X-Men event taking place this summer.

It’ll take place across 12 different titles telling the tale of the single night from 12 different perspectives, including in the recently announced one-shot Planet-Sized X-Men, which I’m sure is somehow related to the popular Instagram account of the same name.

I love when movies take a singular event and show how it affects different characters, and that’s essentially what we’ll be getting out of this Hellfire Gala Event.

It’s also when we’ll be getting the final results from the X-Men Election, and the new team of X-Men will be announced.

At last count it looked like Polaris was in the lead, but then a different infographic suggested that she fell a bit as the voting continued, whereas others rose. Even so, I sincerely expect it’ll be the green-haired mistress of magnetism who joins the X-ranks and not my beloved Tempo.

Aside from all this juicy story that’s being cooked up, the fashion is probably the other thing that readers are most looking forward to. And if these red-carpet previews tell us anything, it’s that we have certainly have every right to be excited.

And even if they aren’t your cup of tea – they certainly are a far cry from the usual Hellfire fare we’re dealt.

The Hellfire Club is long-known for it’s high-fashion dress code, and since this event is being heralded as the X-Universe’s version of the Met Gala, we’re getting exactly what you’d expect these eXtra mutants to be giving on the runway, and all with some fun Superhero-y twists.

So without further ado, here’s my ranking of the previewed Hellfire Gala couture, as designed by artist Russel Dauterman.

10. Kate Pryde

Kate is historically fashionably-challenged. It’s an ongoing joke in the x-world, and I actually think that it’s great to have a character who has no idea how to dress herself. A lot of the other x-people are very fashion forward, so it’s super endearing when Kitty opts to wear a clashing costume.

I think this design is a bit of a hodge podge, and I think maybe supposed to be. It harkens back to her Snazzy costume where she literally grabbed on of everything and threw it onto herself. I would think that she would have adapted the age-old adage of Coco Chanel by now, and remember to take one thing off before she leaves the ship, but instead I think she piled it back on.

The silhouette is kind of cool and I want to like the asymmetry, but I think the Captain’s Jacket is what falls flat for me. She’s definitely invoking the spirit of the Marauder in this look, and I think if she had lost the jacket aspect and stuck with just that beautiful puffy Red dress underneath it then it would have looked a lot more glamorous.

9. Captain Britain (Betsy Braddock)

Betsy is harnessing the full power of the union jack again, just in case anyone forgets that she’s not Psylocke anymore but is indeed Captain Britain. This look is a little bit too derivative of her current costume for me. I don’t even like her current costume, so this sexy version of it definitely isn’t scoring major points with me.

To be honest, I don’t necessarily mind the overall design of it, I think it looks cool, but the problem I have with it a(nd with her superhero costume) is that it looks like the clothes are wearing her as opposed to her wearing the clothes.

I do see the reference to her old costume in it. Not the Armour-plated one, but the sheer nightgown-y one. Those puffy sleeves, and the lacy boot-panniers, and the wrist-cuff ribbons are definitely throwbacks that I do enjoy.

I don’t think the make-up does her any justice either. It’s something that we’ve seen on drag race again and again when someone is trying to be ‘edgy’. Even though I think the make-up is also trying to be a throwback – this time to the mask she used to wear in the armoured-costume – I think that the creators would do Betsy better justice by having her focus on figuring out who she’s become since splitting with Kwannon, instead of rehashing previous costumes.

I still feel unsure of who her new identity is, and a costume with motifs of tired Captain Britain swag and old Psylocke costumes isn’t gonna help figure her out.

8. Cyclops

Cyclops’ outfit is pretty plain-Jane to me. It’s basically just a suit in his classic 90’s colors that’s been cut in an interesting way.

The visor is all right, but it kind of makes me think of a look that someone in the 80’s or 90’s would create when they are trying to think of something futuristic. It really gives me some Judge Dredd vibes too.

I just think it looks a little ho-hum. I don’t find Cyclops to have much personality, so I guess I shouldn’t expect him to dress with much personality either. It’s really an outfit that fits in with who he is as a character overall, so I guess I can’t really fault it too much.

That said – would I have liked him to try a bit harder? Yeah, sure. And maybe if he was still with Emma she would’ve given him a push to do so, but he’s not, so I don’t think we can expect anything cutting edge anytime soon from ol’ Scottie.

7. Rachel Grey

I’ll start off by saying that I think this outfit is really, really cool.

I love the spiky, liquid latex feel that they went with and if Rachel was dressing up for Halloween or a performance then I would totally be on this outfit’s side, but as it stands I think it’s a bit too costumey for the Hellfire Gala.

Rachel has owned her “hounds” past before and used to dress in her old Hounds costume all the time while she was with Excalibur, so I don’t think this moment is really anything new per se in terms of Rachel developing as a character.

I do love it and I think it looks awesome, but I think it’s a wasted opportunity for Rachel to have worn something that I almost wouldn’t expect her to wear, and this just feels like something I’ve already seen her in, albeit a very heightened version of it.

Let me stress again, I love it, but I’m a bit underwhelmed because it feels recycled to me.

6. Storm

Storm’s is another outfit that I wanted a little bit more out of. I think she played it safe with this look because it’s essentially just a version of her classic black superhero outfits, but with some gorgeous gold accoutrements.

The most interesting part of her look is definitely that lightning cloud cape, and I really hope that its weather changes throughout the night to match her mood. U think that would make for some really great visual storytelling.

I think this outfit is cool and very glamorous as Storm is often wont to be, but I’ve dragged others for being too derivative, and this one edges on being the dreaded d-word as well.

5.Jean Grey

The first in my top 5 is Jean Grey. This look to me is a like high fashion version of her Marvel Girl minidress that she’s been wearing recently mixed with her Revolution-era bodysuit. It’s also not a Jean Grey outfit unless we get some pointy shoulder-pad action, so I am very glad they didn’t skimp on that detail here.

I think the design is super sleek and my favorite part is actually the backless area that opens up half her back, and that cape that falls just below it. It’s a great length and it looks like it will drape well majestically. I DO NOT care for the wedge whatsoever, but overall I think Jean looks really great, and while it’s a bit simple, I think it’s simplicity is really what made it work for me.

4. M

This outfit is great. I’m all about gowns for a thing like the Hellfire Gala, but I think M really delivers with this sheer pantsuit. It’s obviously meant to echo her position as the head of the X-Corp, because I’m getting some business woman-y vibes from it, but I think that helps her stand-out a bit.

The best piece for me is the Penance-inspired fascinator, and unlike Rachel’s outfit which is just screaming for attention, I think this one is perfectly balanced. There’s personality, but it’s also chic.

I think it’s one of the only outfits that is readily versatile and could be worn for an assortment of events – a morning board meeting, then an afternoon at the races, and then why not finish the night off the Hellfire Soiree!

3. Angel

I love that Angel decided to go the self-sexploitation route for his outfit. This reminds me of his AoA counterpart a bit, but heavily cleaned up and modernized.

Listen, I know it’s simple, and that I am basically giving him a free pass just for showing his chest, but I really think he nailed it. Sometimes simple is best, and I think this is one of those cases! Wait, did I say simple is best or simple is chest? Well whichever, they both work.

I think the cut of the pants looks very clean on him – it’s not too tight like a tailored suit would be, and it hugs his hips just right so that they can tell us no lies. I love the loafers and I love the X-design on the inside of the Jacket. The look of the fabric makes me think that it’s made of a very expensive silk that’s soft to the touch.

My favorite part of the whole looks though is probably that gold halo-y chain that’s strewn across his chest. It’s just the right amount of jewelry to give this outfit the pop that it needed.

2. Rogue

This outfit SCREAMS Rogue to me and I totally see every reference in it.

he collar is immediately drawing me to her old Brotherhood outfit, which she later recycled for the X-Men, and those booties are also a classic Rogue-cut bootie, but the BEST part for me is the lacey bodysuit underneath it all.

I knew immediately which dress this was in reference to, and it’s a favorite Rogue look of mine.

I know it sounds like I’m just praising this look because it’s full of old Rogue costumes that I enjoy, but that’s not the case. I think this outfit absolutely nailed Rogue’s sassy southern belle style. She really is quite a rebellious woman and evvverything in this outfit tells me that that’s exactly who she is.

Stylistically I think this is one of the best outfits and it’s definitely one where Rogue is wearing the clothes and not the other way around. Only she could get away with wearing them. They tell me everything I need to know about her and my god – the pop of that collar is enough to send me to heaven!! Just fantastic.

1. Emma Frost

This could end with no other queen but Emma Frost. She’s not to be outdone at an event that she’s throwing, and I mean really, all eyes are going to be on her anyway.

She’s debuting a minimum of three looks, and I say minimum because why not hope for even more from her when the event truly takes off?

I think all three of her outfits are a home run, slam dunk, and hole in one.

The first one is regality in its finest form.

It reminds me of Moira Rose in the finale of Schitt’s Creek when she ordains David’s wedding. I’m really getting some high-fashion Pope religious regalia from it crossed with, like, the most expensive fur I’ve ever seen in my life and some highly-modernized Cinderella glass slippers.

The cut of the X across her chest is Emma using every asset she has available, so why not give people a sneak peek and let them know that there’s still body under all this fabulousness.

Her second outfit is probably my least favorite of the three.

It’s a bit of a mix of party city and le chateau formal for me, and reminds me of her characterization during those weird Xenogensis years. I am NOT a fan of those weird looking boots she’s weaning, and I think this one is relying too much on being skimpy and risqué but without actually delivering anything new or exciting.

The best part for me is that hat, which I think is meant to mirror the physical manifestation of what her telepathy looks like. The hat and the jacket and the boots all kind of clash a bit for me and don’t really go together seamlessly as a packaged finished product, but I mean she still looks like she could kick some ass in it, and I’m sure she’s probably gonna have to

Her third outfit just has me FLOOORRED. I think this is the penultimate of glamour!

Wearing a fringey diamond encrusted gown whilst in her diamond form is the chef’s kiss of the Hellfire Gala fashion.

The slicked back hair is a key proponent here for me in really finishing the look and bringing it all together, because the lines are smooth from head to toe in this one, and Emma knows it.

This is Emma Frost Secondary Mutation White Queen supreme, and like a diamond itself, I can’t find a single flaw anywhere.

Well that’s my list! I’m looking forward to seeing what some of the other mutants will be dressed like for the gala, and hope this is only the beginning of bringing the high-level fashion back to the X-Comics.

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